The Gers beat Annan 2-0 in their first home game of the 2016-17 campaign the other night, with 32,000 in attendance to see Barrie McKay and Martyn Waghorn seal a League Cup win.

By virtue of the fact it was a low-key competition, and on a week night, the attendance figures are testament to how well supported Rangers are.

Rangers supporters were given a treat in the second half when summer signing Joey Barton was introduced for his debut, having penned a two-year deal with the club earlier this summer in a move which symbolises the club's big ambition perhaps.

Indeed, there were thousands inside Ibrox on Tuesday, but it was still nowhere near a sell-out in the 51,000-seater stadium, and Gilks, one of nine Rangers new boys this summer, is really looking forward to experiencing the ground when it's sold out.

"I thought ‘bloody hell, imagine what it will be like with 45,000 here screaming’. I am looking forward to hearing it.”

Gilks is a competent goalkeeper but the 34-year-old faces a fight to dislodge number one Wes Foderingham, who was an ever-present figure in helping Rangers win the Scottish Championship last season.

Foderingham is almost guaranteed to be Mark Warburton's first choice when Hamilton visit Ibrox on August 6 for the Scottish Premiership curtain raiser, but the former Blackpool stopper is capable of pushing the 25-year-old close.

Shane Callaghan

Shane is a Dublin-based sports writer who swapped the football pitch for the press box upon learning that he was better with a pen than with a round bit of leather. Prior to joining HITC, Shane enjoyed spells with Sports Mole and Goal.com among others, while he was also club reporter for Irish football club Drogheda United.